One of the 'best places to live' in the country is just outside Portland

September 19,2016 | By Jon Bell, Portland Business Journal

Schools, affordable homes, good jobs and a melting pot of ethnic and cultural diversity all make Beaverton one of the best places to live in the entire country.

So says Money Magazine, which recently issued its annual "Best Places to Live in America" for 2016. The publication analyzed 60 different factors, from taxes and education to health care, crime, sports and employment, to compile its list of the "50 Best Small Cities in America."

Money Magazine has ranked Beaverton as the ninth best small city to live in across the entire country. The publication looked at a range of factors, from the job market and crime rate to housing affordability, taxes and ethnic diversity.

The towns ranged between 50,000 and 300,000 people. Beaverton is home to 96,500.

This year's rankings placed more weight on financial factors, such as job market, economic opportunity and housing affordability.

Beaverton, home to Nike, landed at No. 9 on the list and was the only Oregon city to make the cut.

Money noted that the median home price in Beaverton is $319,950, average property taxes are $4,399, the unemployment rate is 4.7 percent and the average commute time is 22 minutes.

In addition to the more practical factors that helped Beaverton land on the list, Money called out the city's cultural and ethnic diversity. According to the publication, one in five Beaverton residents was born outside the United States, and more than 100 different languages are spoken in the Beaverton School District.

“What an incredible honor for our community,” said Mayor Denny Doyle, in a statement. “It is particularly gratifying to be recognized for our affordability, cultural inclusiveness and proximity to Nike.”